Downtown Wilmington brewery shutting down both locations. Here's what we know.

A downtown Wilmington brewery is closing its taprooms.

In an Instagram post, the people behind Wilmington’s New Anthem Beer Project admitted the business has been struggling. New Anthem closed its Raleigh location in early March and on Wednesday, the original taproom, at 116 Dock St. in Wilmington, closed. The last day in business for the taproom at 110 Greenfield Street is Sunday, March 17.

The closures are indefinite, barring an “11th hour surprise,” according to one of the posts.  “All we can say to you all is, thank you. It has been an honor to make beer for you. Truly,” the note said. “We are grateful to have been a contributor to this community, both locally and in the great state of North Carolina.”

New Anthem’s owner, Aaron Skiles, started as a home brewer before opening in downtown Wilmington in 2016. He added taproom and production facility at 110 Greenfield St. in 2019 in Wilmington’s South Front District. He announced plans to expand to Raleigh in 2022. At the time, Skiles said that he wanted to continue to grow the New Anthem brand and open more taprooms.

“The mill has been full of rumors for weeks about the fate of New Anthem Beer, and yes, we’re struggling. We have been for a while,” said the post on Instagram. “The list is long on the reasons why… Top of the list: debt and expansion before/during COVID and the hangover from COVID that just will not go away.”

Skiles did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The post also said that those who come out to the Greenfield Street location before it closes will likely find some deals on beers, merchandise and glassware.

The post added that many breweries and other businesses are in similar circumstances.

“If you like them, support them,” it said.

And more could still be ahead for New Anthem.

“We’re not quite done yet. We’re still fighting.”

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Anthem Beer Project closing taprooms in Wilmington, NC